Texas prosecutor: Sandra Bland’s death ruled a suicide

An autopsy performed on Sandra Bland, the Illinois woman arrested in Texas on July 10th during a traffic stop who died in her jail cell three days later, has revealed the cause of death was hanging, the result of a suicide.

Wallace County Assistant District Attorney, Warren Diepraam, briefed reporters Thursday and announced the post mortem analysis yielded evidence confirming initial speculation Bland took her own life.

“There were no bite marks or other injuries on her face, on her lips, on her tongue, which would be consistent with a violent struggle.”

“If there had been a violent struggle,” the prosecutor said, “examiners would most likely not expect to see a uniform and consistent mark around Bland’s neck, which is what they, in fact, observed. They also did not observe damage to her trachea and esophagus, which they might expect to see if there had been a violent struggle. She did have approximately 30 ‘cut marks’ on her left wrist,” according to Diepraam, which were in a state of healing. Bland also had lacerations or abrasions on her wrists, which are consistent with being handcuffed and struggling,” he said.

“Additionally, she had scabs on her back, on the right side of her shoulder blade, which could indicate that someone applied force there, or that she applied force against an object,”Diepraam said. He added: “Bland had marijuana in her system at the time of her death.”

Despite skepticism from Bland’s family who had expressed doubts about the nature of Sandra Bland’s death and have called for a second, independent autopsy, Wallace County District Attorney stated: “We have not asked for, nor do we intend to ask for, a second autopsy.”